Wooster Chronology
Important Events in Wooster's History
March 2, 1710
General Wooster, Revolutionary War hero, father of Freemasonry in Connecticut, and Wooster's namesake, was born.
April 27, 1777
General Wooster dies in Danbury, CT of a mortal wound inflicted during the Battle of Ridgefield.
1913
Aaron Coburn joins the Danbury Board of Education and serves on it until 1932.
March 31, 1925
The Vestry of St. James' Church votes to endorse Rev. Coburn's proposal to establish a boys school in Danbury.
October 15, 1925
Rev. Coburn and friends raise $30,000 to buy the Hodshon Farm in Danbury.
November 2, 1925
Connecticut State Legislature approves Wooster's Articles of Incorporation.
September 22, 1926
Wooster opens its doors to 10 students.
1928
East & West Cottages (Wellington & McAlister respectively) are completed.
December 14, 1928
The Headmaster's House is dedicated.
May 18, 1929
Flag Pole is formally dedicated.
June, 1929
Wooster's first commencement (last Sat. preceding 6/10/29), 2 graduates.
June 7, 1930
James Marshall Chapel cornerstone is placed.
November 6, 1930
Chapel is consecrated and dedicated to the memory of James Marshall who was a hat manufacturer in Fall River, Massachusetts. Mrs. Marshall, who moved to Newtown, Connecticut, after her husband's death and became a member of the School's Board of Managers, gave Wooster $50,000 to erect the Chapel in her husband's memory.
1936
Aaron Coburn receives an honorary Doctor of Letters from Hobart College.
February 14, 1943
John D. Verdery becomes Headmaster and serves in that capacity until June 30, 1976.
Fall 1945
Wooster's first undefeated football season.
May, 1948
Frank Young produces his first production of "Woosteria".
Winter 1951
Don Seifert '51 wins the National Preparatory School wrestling championship at Lehigh University, the greatest single athletic achievement in the history of the school's 25 years. Don had three undefeated years as Varsity Wrestling Captain. He served as Prefect of East Cottage and Valedictorian of the Senior Class.
June 9, 1952
U.S. Vice President Alben Barkley breaks ground for Coburn Hall.
1961
Wooster is elected a member of the Cum Laude Society.
March 4, 1961
First game played in Alumni Gym : Varsity Basketball team defeats Gunnery 50-36.
April 29, 1961
Alumni Gym is dedicated.
September, 1963
Soccer is offered for the first time as an alternate fall sport.
February 5, 1966
Wooster Community Art Center offers its first community program to 27 students from neighboring high schools with an emphasis on sculpture, drawing, and painting.
Summer 1966
Marian Anderson, renowned Metropolitan Opera singer, visits Wooster.
September, 1966
Josette Eynon joins the faculty (in the Language Department) as its first full-time female member.
February 20, 1968
The David M. Keiser organ, new to Wooster, is formally inaugurated in a recital given by Clyde Holloway.
1970
First woman, Mary-Belle Starr, is appointed to the Wooster Board of Trustees.
September, 1970
Wooster becomes a co-ed institution. Robin Kahn '73 is the first of 33 girls admitted.
September 11, 1974
"Anonymous", the campus newspaper, is first published. Chris Witzky '75 is named first Editor-in-Chief.
May 10, 1975
Girls Gym and Music Building are dedicated.
September 11, 1975
50th Anniversary Celebration begins.
July 1, 1976
C. Richard Cadigan becomes Wooster's third Headmaster.
May 14, 1977
Tiedemann Field dedicated to the memory of Charlie Tiedemann '42.
May 27, 1978
Football field named "Hobart Warner Field" in honor of long time teacher/coach.
January 17, 1980
Board of Trustees elects H. Korb Eynon as Wooster's fourth Headmaster effective July 1, 1980.
March 7, 1981
Girls Varsity Basketball Team beats Westover to become Wooster's first undefeated girls team in the School's history. They end the season with a 15-0 record.
1983
Boys Lacrosse begins at Wooster.
September, 1983
"The Year in Spain" is inaugurated for Wooster 10th graders.
September 7, 1984
General News, the student newspaper, made its debut : it revived the name of the original Wooster paper, the Wooster General.
July 1, 1985
The Board of Trustees elects G. Peter O'Neill Wooster's fifth Headmaster. Peter had served as Director of Admissions from September 1982 to July 1985.
Fall 1989
Sixth Grade is added to the Middle School.
1990
Wooster School becomes co-ed day school.
July 1, 1990
Beth Kukla is hired as Lower School Coordinator to begin the process of establishing a Lower School at Wooster.
1991
John D. Verdery Library is dedicated.
October 19, 1991
E. John Effinger becomes Wooster's sixth Headmaster.
September 3, 1991
The Lower School opens with a Kindergarten, and a combined Grades 1 and 2; 32 children comprise the student body.
Fall 1992
Grades 3, 4, and 5 are added to the Lower School.
January 5, 1996
Wellington Cottage former East Cottage is dedicated in honor of Bradley '94, Abigail '96, and Benjamin '98, through the generosity of their father Cary Wellington, as the new home of the Middle School. The Middle School moved to Wellington Cottage in September 1995.
October 15, 1996
The Board of Trustees appoints John B. Cheeseman '57 Wooster's seventh Headmaster - the first graduate to serve as Headmaster.
November 4, 2000
Wooster celebrates its 75th Anniversary.
November 18, 2002
Board of Trustees announces the appointment of George N. King, Jr. to the position of Headmaster.
January 11, 2003
Forever Young Gymnasium is dedicated and celebrated with a faculty vs. parent basketball game following the Boys and Girls Varsity games in the new gym. Former San Francisco 49er quarterback, Steve Young, founder of the Forever Young Foundation, and ex-Boston Celtic, Danny Ainge, played with the two teams.
September 2, 2004
Wooster's new Middle School building opens.
July 1, 2007
Timothy B. Golding is appointed as the ninth Headmaster of Wooster School.
Fall, 2008
Pre-K 4 program opens.
Fall, 2011
The Prospect School at Wooster opens.
Fall, 2011
Pre-K 3 program opens.
July 1, 2013
Matthew J. Byrnes named Wooster's tenth Head of School.
October, 2013
Renovated Coburn Hall and the Felton Learning Studio opens.